06/11/2022
Such important advocacy! Many of our ADHDers also have learning disabilities like dyslexia. Little is available in the public school system and private pay literacy tutoring is expected but unattainable to so many. Let’s get kids the assessments and reading support they need at school!
Advocacy Time!
It is budget planning time in BC and the government is collecting data for the 2023 Budget. We are hoping that dyslexia gets on the radar soon so that some Provincial Funds get put towards Dyslexia.
We know many of you have been paying for private services for years. Dyslexia BC is presenting to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services next Friday.
It would be helpful if the committee heard from you too!
Please take the time to fill out this survey. You can make a written submission too, they are both due June 24, 2022!
Question # 2 is the important one. Here is an example of an answer.
"Put more money into K-12 Education, Post Secondary Education and Special Needs services within K-12. Specifically more for Dyslexic Students. As it is they do not have appropriate access to our schools, community and work force.
Specifically Changing Curriculum so that dyslexic students are included. All curriculum should be aligned with best practices for reading, writing and math. There needs to be budget assigned for this change to happen, even within the Ministry of Education. The change would result in the best chance for ALL learners to reach their potential.
Make Dyslexia a priority by giving it some funding within the K-12 system. Currently it is one of the Ministry's special needs groups that does "not" get supplemental special needs funding. Changing the curriculum will provide a better base for dyslexics and all students. The way that reading is taught in BC schools now means that 40% of students are left behind. Using Evidence Based Structured Literacy (which is best practices) is the only way that dyslexics can learn how to read.
We have 3 dyslexics in our family. We have spent 100's of thousands of dollars on tutoring to provide evidence based structured literacy because it isn't available in public schools in BC.
Most of our children's extra time was spent at tutors and most of our extra funds have been spent on private tutors and devices to make sure that our children could be accommodated at school and have access to learning to read.
Money should be put aside by the province to
1) Facilitate Change in the Ministry to ensure that Districts change over to Evidence Based Best Practices in teaching Reading, Writing and Math.
2) Give funding to the Special Needs Category for Learning Disability (LD) in K -12 Schools. Currently Autism gets close to $19,000 in supplemental funding and LD which is largely Dyslexia gets $ 0 supplemental funds.
3) Remove testing for LD from the school system completely. Autism, ADHD and all other Disabilities are not diagnosed within the system.
4) Fund the diagnosis with the psychologist for LD/dyslexia under MSP
5) Provide Accountability to these students with audits from the Ministry (currently all other disabilities are checked by the Ministry, but LD is not)"
Here is the Survey
https://bclegislature.checkbox.ca/budget-2023-survey
If you want to send in Written Comments here is the form, also due on June 24th, 2022.
https://consultations.leg.bc.ca/Submission/Create?cons=Budget2023
